Even with the best maintenance possible, given enough time, you will begin to see components start to fail on any machine. At this point, you will have to determine whether or not to repair.
Should You Repair Or Refurbish Your Used Crane?
Construction safety should be a top priority, especially when heavy machinery such as cranes is in use on-site. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2011 to 2017, there was an average of 42 deaths a year involving cranes.
No project is worth someone’s life, so it is critical that you ensure your crane is still in good operating condition with daily machinery inspections. If an operator speaks up about mechanical issues, have the crane inspected and serviced before putting a load or lives at risk of injury and damage.
How To Tell Your Crane Is In Need Of Repair
The best way to ensure proper crane maintenance and timely repairs is to have the crane inspected on a regular schedule. Before each crane operator starts their shift, they should do an inspection to verify that nothing has changed since the last shift.
Pre-shift inspections can help catch a wide array of issues like fluid leaks such as oil or hydraulics, but can also spot misalignments, frayed cables, and more. In general, an inspection should cover the following key categories:
- Wheels and Tracks
- Air and Hydraulic Systems
- Alignment and Stability
- Chains and Hooks
On top of this regular pre-shift inspection, make sure the crane is inspected by a certified maintenance technician on a regular basis as well. A significant portion of crane maintenance tasks won’t be measured in months but in hours of use. To facilitate this better, make sure to keep an accurate log of use and follow any maintenance guidelines from the manufacturer.
Repair And Refurbishment Of Cranes
Cranes are complicated, highly technical pieces of construction machinery that require proper maintenance, site preparation, and training to operate safely. Every time a lift is performed, some damage occurs to components, and eventually, some amount of significant maintenance work will be needed.
When one or two individual components degrade to the point of needing significant maintenance work, repairs can be handled relatively easily. With a focus on correcting those individual defects, cranes can be kept serviceable for a significant amount of time.
There may come a point where significant components or whole systems within the crane architecture begin to break down, and you may face a more substantial fix. At this point, you have a few options for a more complete restoration of a used crane:
- Rebuild focusing on only components that are worn out or broken
- Refurbish all systems, re-using as much as possible but using new parts when needed
- Remanufacture every component to bring the machine back to like new condition
Each consecutive option will increase your crane's working life and efficiency over the others, but that comes with increased cost and downtime to complete the repairs.
Selecting The Best Choice For Your Projects
Proper maintenance, repairs, and refurbishment can extend a crane's working life for decades if implemented correctly. But like any decision, you need to balance if the work, time, and money used to keep an old crane running safely gives you a good return on investment within your project planning.
As machines age, more parts wear out or become hard to replace with manufactured replacements. Overtime repair costs on any crane will only increase, potentially to a point where it is no longer economically viable or possible to continue repairing.
At this point, you will need to determine if the cost of a new crane is tenable in your situation or if you should seek an alternative for your projects, such as rental. There are a lot of items that factor into the cost of a crane rental. But the fact remains that for most contractors and construction companies, renting is more economical than buying one of your own.
With the extra help of experienced planners and operators, you reduce the risk of costly delays and are better protected from liability from injury or damage if accidents occur.
Parker’s Crane Has Your Rental Needs Covered In The Carolinas And Beyond
Crane ownership is a big task. If you have gone through the above considerations and are unsure of your company's ability to manage a crane full-time or budget for expensive repairs but still need one on a project, crane rental may be the right step. You can’t hammer a nail in with a screwdriver. Not effectively, anyway.
Parker's Crane provides quality crane rental, rigging, and heavy hauling services throughout the Carolinas and the East Coast. Contact us online or by phone if you would like to discuss your needs and whether or not our services and equipment will work for your construction project. We provide free on-site quotes and evaluations.
We pride ourselves on safety and our Zero Accident Philosophy and conduct many detailed safety measures when performing a job to ensure that no project carries unnecessary risk. We perform the following for every single job we take:
- Pre-Lift Job Assessments
- Daily Risk Assessments
- On-site Hazard Analysis
- Routine Management Audits
Even with a simple job, the right tool makes an enormous difference. Similarly, the right equipment, backed with experience and support, can make your job worlds easier (and safer).